Update

Hello out there! I know I have been scarce this last month, but it has been for a good cause! I've been reading, relaxing, sleeping late (and staying up late), hanging out with family. It has been glorious!

Of course, I've been writing too. I'm up to page 102 on the new manuscript, which I LOVE!!! I have a few issues with some of the choices of the hero and heroine since I wouldn't necessarily make the same choices, but they're helping me through that. The hero has been MUCH more understanding of my hesistance, but the heroine just rolls her eyes at me and demands I "get over it". Ultimately, I am TOTALLY in tune with writing their story and so this book is coming along much faster and easier. I've got some AWESOME insights just in the last day and I can't wait to get some quality time to spend on the manuscript.

Still haven't heard from the agent (it's been the required 8 weeks for a response on a partial) or the editor (that's going on 9 1/2 months).

I guess that's all I have to report for now. I expect to be online more often over the next few weeks before Nationals. Until next time, I hope you are all doing well.

Notebooks, Pens and Various Locales

Well, this will be my last regular post for a while. I won't be on the computer half as much as I have been over the last few weeks. Why is that, you ask? When I start a new manuscript, I handwrite. I LOVE handwriting in the beginning. I can't explain it and I won't even begin to try. I just love it! Plus, I love being able to pull out the notebook anywhere and start writing. Yeah, I can do that with a laptop, but the notebooks were only 19 cents a piece and I'm still on the stack that I bought a couple of years ago during a school supply rush. So, I'll be checking in from time to time and I'll let you know if any news (good or bad) comes in. Wish me luck with uncovering Ryan and Jacey's story!

THE END

After a year, I have finished the rough draft of UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS!!! I am soooo thrilled. The weight is COMPLETELY off my shoulders. I know all the things that are happening in my story. Grace and Ethan are very pleased and proud of me. I have a lot of stuff to clean up when I do revisions, but my heart is relieved and Grace and Ethan have given me permission to pursue Jacey and Ryan's story, RESISTANCE, in the meantime.

I AM WOMAN!!!

It takes a confident woman to delete chunks of pages from a work in progress. Yes, that's me. Confident. I've spent most of the last 2 days cutting, pasting and writing. I've dropped some scenes that I originally wrote for this story last year, scenes that don't mesh with what I've got now and probably won't mesh with anything in the future.

As my finger hung above that delete button, a smile crept over my face. This is what it's all about. Making the story the best it can be. Knowing I'll be able to get to the ending despite pitching 20 pages today. And believing enough in my own talent and my characters to go through with hitting that button.

Really, It's Not THAT Bad

Hi. It's Friday afternoon. I haven't done anything yet on the book today. I've just been reading (PARALLEL LIES) and watching old episodes of ROAR. Anybody remember that summer show with Heath Ledger from years ago??? I loved it when it was on and I was thrilled when I found it today on the Sci-Fi channel! I got to watch 2 episodes I'd never seen!

Okay, so sorry for all the whining I keep choosing to do. I'm actually a lot better today. I whined on here and I whined to my Austin RWA group and many people gave me great feedback. So, thanks to everyone who came to my rescue! I seriously think part of my problem is the limbo I'm in with my last manuscript, the one that's been in NY since October. Sure, I can take it as a good sign that it's taking this long, but the waiting is DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!! But, I know I shouldn't let that interfere with my writing of the current manuscript. So...

Bottom line. I've decided to do as much as I can on UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS (affectionately known as UCOD for short) until my self-imposed deadline of Tuesday, June 7th. After that, I will switch gears and focus on reading, enjoying my summer and starting the next manuscript. I'll take a week or two off from UCOD and then get back to finishing whatever still needs to be done. So, off I go to continue Grace and Ethan's journey. Wish me luck!

Blue, Blah, Bummed

Don't really know why I'm writing this post. I guess just cause I'm feeling out of sorts and I have to vent. I don't know why I feel this way. I should be thrilled. I'm off my day job for a couple of months, I'm going on vacation next week. My knee is better. (Spent the day hopping around the house, popping pills and leaving a heating pad on it). Got some errands done. Nancy's agreed to make my business cards for Nationals. I've got some great ideas floating around in my head for the next book. Finished critiquing Jenna's historical--a great read and I can't wait to see it on the shelves someday!

But I can't finish my own book.

Don't know why. I've got more than half of it done and sent off to one of my critique partners. I LOVE Ethan and Grace and their story. I know how it ends, I know I've got rearranging and more writing to do.

But I can't finish my own book.

In all the years I've been writing, since that first completed manuscript was done back in sixth grade in 1983, I have never had this much trouble finishing a manuscript. I've always worked through the block and ultimately found my muse again. This time I'm even letting my characters tell the story, not forcing anything of my own in there.

But I STILL can't finish the book.

How Weird!

Woke up today and my knee is back to the way it was over the long weekend. Still a little stiff and sore, but nowhere near the pain I was in yesterday. I'm going to take some more aspirin and keep favoring it. We shall see!

I've got lots of little errands I MUST do today- pay some bills, turn in my contract for the next school year, order some business cards for Nationals, mail some cards.

Don't know when I'll get back to my book. I came home last night and decided not to write or read Jenna's work. I decided to finish the Bombshell I was reading (TARGET). Then I did start Jenna's next chapters, but I was tired and so I stopped after 2 chapters. Don't want to cheat her out of a decent critique! So, I picked up PARALLEL LIES by Kate Donovan and read the first 34 pages of that. When I finally shut off the lights, a wicked thunderstorm blew in. Didn't bother me, though. I fell asleep in the middle of it!

I'm hoping to get through at least another chapter or 2 on my own manuscript today and then get back to Jenna Stuart's manuscript. I'll let you know how successful I am!